Lake Natron

Nick Brandt‘s eerie collection of photographs showcases a still lake that would seem tranquil were it not for the petrified wildlife dotted across it.

Lake Natron in Tanzania has a pH of 9 – 10.5 that petrifies the birds after they fall into the lake, probably confused by its mirror surface. Brandt found these perfectly preserved creatures on the shoreline and placed them into upright positions – essentially reanimating them.